Middle of Yesterday
by Missa Rhiannon
Summary: Before Weiss, Yohji Kudou was a detective. His partner was a pushy, rude woman named Asuka. A girl goes missing, and they're hired for the job. The price the girl paid is high, but the price the not-so-dynamic duo pays is higher.
1. Beings of Testosterone Origin

**Title**: Middle of Yesterday   
**Chapter One**: Beings of Testosterone Origin   
**Rated**: PG-13   
**Genre**: Romance/Mystery   
**Warnings**: Spoilers for Episodes 3, 17, and 21. If you are wary, turn back now. Also, prostitution, mild sexual situations, and language. 

**Description**: Before Weiss, Yohji Kudou was a detective. His partner was a pushy, rude woman named Asuka. A girl goes missing, and they're hired for the job. They're world is turned upside down as the case evolves from a missing person, to a prostituion ring, to murder. 

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Kudou Yohji, Asuka, Liott, Kusumoki Masataka, Nambara Tamaki, or Hirooki Hiroshi. That's mainly the whole cast. ^.^ Sasuki Megumi and Omotoyo Gaki are not actual characters within the series, and they belong to me.****

**Author's Notes**: The main character in this story is Asuka, followed closely by Yohji. I don't believe her last name was ever mentioned, so I've given her one. ^.^ (Slight update: I was told her surname is Murase, so I'm going with that.) This is not one of those She's-Mysteriously-Still-Alive things. Her character intrigued me, and I wanted to delve in further. This story takes place before the series, before Yohji even joined Weiss. Also, I'm going on the idea that Neu is, indeed, Asuka. 

I've taken liberties on the basic story that Yohji tells Maki in episode 3 about Asuka. As in, the events most likely did not happen and are definitely NOT official (until the end, of course). Most of the dialogue isn't even official until later, near the end. 

As for spelling, I'm aware that Yohji can Youji, Yohji, or Yoji. I've picked Yohji, because I think it's prettiest and I'm most familiar to it (though I've no idea where the 'h' is from). In similar cases, Liott can be Ryot, Riott, Lyot, Liot, Riot, and numerous other ways. Asuka I've seen as Aska or even Azuka. I've chosen spellings on matters of personal preference and some base on the hiragana and kanji used in the Weiss manga, _An Assassin and White Shaman_. 

Even though you (probably) already know the ending, this is my take on the relationship between Yohji and Asuka, and the events leading up to Liott. I hope you'll enjoy the story and the way I present Asuka. I just hope I get Yohji right. ^.^   


* * *

_Standing in the middle of yesterday,_   
_When it all went wrong,_   
_And we made mistakes._   
_I'm sorry for things I forgot to say,_   
_But it won't be long,_   
_And it'll be okay._

--Middle of Yesterday, Our Lady Peace 

* * *

Another day at the office. Wonderful. There hadn't been a case in weeks. Not any good cases, at least. 

Asuka sighed, setting down her purse in the same old leather chair, by the same old stack of papers. She flipped the light switch, frowning in annoyance at the light bulb suspended from the ceiling by a wire. It wasn't even a real lamp. Couldn't Yohji get anyone to put an actual light...thingy in? Better yet, she mused, couldn't he get off his lazy ass and do it himself? 

She plopped into the chair behind her desk, taking time to spin around for a moment. Asuka propped her feet up, frowning thoughtfully. She scanned the room, looking at the awful disarray of papers, file cabinets, and take-out boxes courtesy of her partner. And there she was, smack-dab in the middle of all of it. It was almost like some cheesy American detective movie, only in color. 

"Yes, Asuka, this is your life," she grumbled. "Messy, boring, and-" 

"Hello, Asuka," a sluggish drawl greeted her. Asuka could almost hear the expression her partner wore. It was like talking on the telephone and knowing the other person is smiling. Only, he wasn't smiling. Yohji grinned lazily from the doorway, slumped against the frame as usual. And there was that goddamn cigarette he simply couldn't live without. "Talking to yourself again? I told you, stress is bad." He shook his head with a brief 'tsk.' Yohji smirked, tossing his hat on the coat rack outside the door. Another thing that reminded her of cheesy American detective movies--his hat. 

"Hello, Yohji," Asuka raised an eyebrow at him as she spoke, returning his smirk. "No, I was just talking to my computer. He's a bit more lively than you and Mr. Cancer Stick over there." 

"Ah, but Mr. Cancer Stick is friendly!" Yohji exclaimed in a teasing tone of voice. 

"I'm sure. And you need Mr. Breath Mint. I can smell you from here," she mocked, tossing him the little tin she kept in her drawer. Abruptly, her tone and expression changed. Asuka's face grew void of any lingering mirth or sarcasm. "We've got a new case, Kudou-san. There's a girl missing. Her name is Sasuki Megumi." 

Kudou. She was serious now. Yohji felt like pouting at her, just to see how she reacted. Ah, but then again, there was a damsel in distress! He beamed, walked over to her, and pushed her feet off the wooden desk. Yohji leaned on the rickety piece of furniture, arms crossed and cigarette loosely dangling from his lips as he spoke. "Who reported it?" 

"Hey! Ass!" Asuka fumed at him and kicked his shin under the desk, "And it was the girl's boyfriend, Omotoyo Gaki, that reported her." 

"Ow! Asuka! That hurt!" Yohji whined, instantly balancing himself on one, extremely long leg to rub his injured shin. He steadied himself with one arm on the surface of the lunk of furniture separating him and the Shrew. 

"Pansy. That's what you get." 

* * *

Yohji watched Asuka from his office. He had to admit, for such a pain in the ass, his partner was pretty. Not gorgeous or anything, but pretty. It was kind of hard _not_ to see her. She had an appealing, Asian face: it was round, and had just the right skin tone. On top of that, nice lips and large, brown eyes. Kind of like a cow--how ironic. He'd called her a cow, among other things, plenty of times. He smirked, shuffling through some papers before tossing them in a drawer. They were probably important. Yohji didn't care. 

His thoughts were disrupted when she stood and turned off her dinosaur of a computer. Yohji blinked. "Leaving already?" he called, again becoming the lazy, smoking playboy he was infamous for being. For a moment, Asuka disappeared from view. When something hit him in his face, he understood. His hat. 

"It's my break. I'm going out for coffee. You're coming," she commanded him, hands on her hips. Asuka watched Yohji in slight amusement as he freed himself from the mess any man would be proud of--also known as his office. Kudou Yohji was by far the most disorganized person she knew, and she knew many, many disorganized people. 

"Yeah, yeah. Lemme get out of here." He sounded almost annoyed as he spoke. Maybe he'd clean. Asuka shook her head. His office was worse than hers. "I know a great coffee shop," he said in a tone that resembled sarcasm. Yohji smirked at her, finally giving up on getting out by conventional means. Instead, he climbed over his desk. A shoe print on a file never hurt anyone, right? 

"You look like a monkey, and I'm _not_ stepping into that crummy little place!" Asuka's eyes widened dramatically. Yohji slipped his sunglasses on, smirking. He always wore sunglasses. It was just a mystery of the universe. Once, he'd boasted that his eyes would hold girls spellbound if he didn't. Well, girls other than Asuka, that is. She honestly didn't care. 

Asuka continued her rant, "I can't _believe_ you take dates there! It's just awful! It's not clean and the coffee tastes bad and--Get that cigarette out of your mouth! It's gross!" 

"Yes, Mother," Yohji teased, very tempted to burst out laughing. He _loved_ to rub her the wrong way. It was just too funny to watch her go off. Asuka, the Timebomb. He shoved the remains of Mr. Cancer Stick II into the ashtray, rolling his sleeves up. "Where would you have us go?" 

"A nice, _classy_ cafe. I'm sure you can afford it. Somewhere...like this," she pulled out a book of matches, the title of the upscale restaurant scrawled in fancy kanji. 

"We're private investigators, Asuka! We aren't exactly wallowing in cash!" Yohji exclaimed and stared at her. So much for rubbing _her_ the wrong way; he was just delivered a quick kick to the wallet. After all, he couldn't deny a lady's wish, even if she was just his pain in the ass partner. 

* * *

"I can't believe you talked me into coming here." 

Yohji sat back in his chair, watching a disgruntled Asuka sip her coffee. "I can't, either. But this 'crummy little place' has a wonderful view." 

"Of what, Kudou?" she grumbled, "I don't see any view." 

"That's because you can't look at it." 

"And why not?" She blurted. Asuka slapped both hands on the table, glowering at Yohji from under her bangs. 

"She's behind you," Yohji quipped easily, raising one eyebrow. "I don't think you'd like to see her, but if you swing that way..." 

"I'm _not_ a homosexual, Kudou!" Her outburst drew stares from other customers, but Yohji grinned and waved it off. 

"Really? I mean, you hardly ever talk about guys..." He was testing her patience. Asuka knew it. But for some reason, she just _couldn't_ ignore him. He knew how to get under her skin, and damn him, he just seemed to stay there. That cocky smirk, those sunglasses, the ever-present smell of nicotine wrapped in paper... The very essence of the man, her libido driven partner, right there in front of her. And it was disgusting. But she always ended up here with him. He was like an aphrodisiac on legs. An annoying one. 

"No man is interesting enough to talk about, Yohji," Asuka answered coolly, sliding back into her chair. Why did she let him do this to her? How did she always end up in these situations? "I'm a loner. A strong, independent woman. I don't need a man." Hah, take that, Kudou. 

"So says the lesbian." 

"GAH!" 

"One for Yohji! Zero for Asuka!" he chirped cheerfully. 

* * *

"Is this where she lived?" Yohji peered at the house from over his sunglasses. It was a nice place, small and clean. White walls that matched every other tiny house in the neighborhood. It was completely different from his cabin. His cabin was his haven, his castle, so to speak. _This_..was a clone. "How can you tell? It looks like every other house on this street." 

"Um, I have the address, maybe? I thought we'd start here," Asuka glanced at him, arching an eyebrow. He was staring at her again. Suddenly, she was no longer annoyed by his sunglasses. His eyes were eery, like they could just see past the facade, like they knew her darkest fears and secrets. Asuka was glad the lenses were there, acting like barriers. She shivered as she climbed out of his car. Creepy eyes. Eyes that induced the deer-in-the-headlights syndrome. "You coming?" 

"'Course. I just don't see why anyone would live _here_," Yohji shook his head, climbing out and locking the car. They approached the door, taking careful note of details. The lawn wasn't as well-trimmed as the others by a long-shot. He frowned, carefully inspecting the doorknob. Such a small object could reveal many things to a trained eye. "There's a thin layer of dust. This door isn't used very often." 

"And neither is the rest of the house, by the looks of it," Asuka motioned to the window. There was very little furniture, and it seemed to be spotless. "I smell a rat." 

"And would his name be Omotoyo Gaki?" Yohji turned and grinned at her. 

"Not exactly. Can you get us inside, Yohji?" She leaned against the wall, watching him. They didn't have a warrant yet, but something about this case just screamed "urgent." Yohji knelt slightly, taking out a thin metal object. A lock pick. He slipped it in the key hole, his expert hands maneuvering the pick quickly. Asuka got the feeling picking locks wasn't the only thing those hands were experts at. After a few minutes, Yohji stood up and grinned. 

"We're in." 

"I don't want to know where you learned how to pick locks," Asuka shot him a look. Suddenly, she was feeling slightly hostile. She stepped inside, flipping on the light switch. Spotless, just as she had thought. There was no clutter, no trash on the floor. Asuka felt like she had just walked into a hospital room, only dustier. Everything was covered in a film of dust. 

"Kind of creepy, isn't it, Asuka?" Yohji looked around, tension clear in his voice as well as his stance. She nodded, frowning. No pictures, nothing personal anywhere. Nothing even slightly decorative. 

"She hasn't been living here. Not a personal item in sight. Only furniture... Why own a house if you don't live in it?" 

"I've got a better question," Yohji informed her as he walked into the hallway he figured led to the bedroom. "If she wasn't here, where was she?" 

Asuka pursed her lips, wandering into another room. "I found the bathroom. A man's been here." 

"How can you tell?" He walked in the bathroom, blinking. No shampoo, shower gel, lotion. Not even a toothbrush. That was very odd. 

"The toilet seat's up," she gestured to the toilet. "Unless Omotoyo-san isn't telling us something, Megumi's had a male guest." 

Yohji chuckled, crossing his arms. He scanned the room, looking for anything out of the ordinary. In this case, just plain anything. Anything but Asuka; he sighed. "I'm going to check her closet." 

"Good luck. I'll take the kitchen." 

* * *

Yohji and Asuka had found nothing in Sasuki Megumi's house. It was almost as if she'd run away instead of gone missing. Well, Yohji had found something. A card, for some club. He'd put it in his wallet after telling Asuka he'd hold on to it for 'safe keeping.' Safe keeping, indeed. 

She rolled her eyes at the thought of Yohji. He was lazy, and annoying, and he smoked. There was nothing more disgusting than kissing a man that smoked. Not that she'd ever _kiss_ Yohji. That was absurd. His hair was always messy, and it was almost as long as hers. And those eyes. Those hypnotic green irises. They were just scary at times. The depth there, it wasn't like the man at all. Or, at least, the man he pretended to be. 

Too much thinking about Yohji. He wasn't worth the effort. Asuka shook her head, tapping her chopsticks on her table. She was eating take-out again. It was cheap, but it really wasn't that bad. The rice was a little overcooked, only a minor offense. She could afford it, and that was what mattered. 

Her mind drifted from her food, and thankfully from Yohji. The Megumi case was eating at her. Of course, there were other suits; cheating husbands and tracking down old girlfriends were the norm. Even missing persons. But this case intrigued her, partially because of Megumi's house, but also because Omotoyo-san hadn't reported Megumi to the police. Well, not that she knew of. 

Tap, tap, tap. Asuka blinked and sat her chopsticks down. She hadn't realized that she was still fidgeting. 

But why hadn't Omotoyo-san reported Megumi? That was suspicious. An interview was in order.   



	2. Of Mice and Men

**Title**: Middle of Yesterday   
**Chapter Two**: Of Mice and Men   
**Rated**: PG-13   
**Genre**: Romance/Mystery   
**Warnings**: Spoilers for Episodes 3, 17, and 21. If you are wary, turn back now. Also, prostitution, mild sexual situations, and language. 

**Description**: Before Weiss, Yohji Kudou was a detective. His partner was a pushy, rude woman named Asuka. A girl goes missing, and they're hired for the job. They're world is turned upside down as the case evolves from a missing person, to a prostituion ring, to murder. 

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Kudou Yohji, Asuka, Liott, Kusumoki Masataka, Nambara Tamaki, or Hirooki Hiroshi. That's mainly the whole cast. ^.^ Sasuki Megumi and Omotoyo Gaki are not actual characters within the series, and they belong to me. 

**Author's Notes**: Whee. ^^ Thankis much to everyone who reviwed! All two of 'em! And thanks for telling me Asuka's last name. It was gonna be like, Tamorichi or something. Murase sounds much better. Anyway! Back to the story, ne? Just tell me if you think I'm moving things a bit too fast. And I've used military time, as that seems to be the norm in foreign countries! I wasn't sure about Japan, though. 

* * *

"Omotoyo Gaki, huh?" Yohji asked, shoving his cigarette in the ashtray. Asuka wrinkled her nose. They were seated in the front office, also known as the Clean Office. Every customer was directed there. If they saw the mess in the other rooms, they'd be out of business. 

"Yes, Omotoyo Gaki. I told him to meet us here at twelve," she answered, checking her watch. 

The sun filtered in through the windows, separated by the blinds. Above them, the ceiling fan hummed as it completed its constant, dizzying cycle. The slight rush of air from the fan toyed with Yohji's hair; the soft strands trembled against his cheek, tickling him. He studied Asuka for a moment; she was distracted today, worried about something. 

Yohji shrugged it off in the half-assed, care free attitude he was infamous for. Asuka was a woman. She worried about little things. Hell, women wouldn't care if the sky turned bright pink as long as it didn't affect their hair. 

That's what he loved about women. 

Almost shyly, the door opened. A young man inched in. He was hunched over slightly, his eyes wide behind a large pair of glasses. Omotoyo-san, apparently, was a very small man. A very small and paranoid man. Timidly, he sat down in one of the leather chairs. His hands twisted, he tapped his foot--he fidgeted worse than Asuka did when she was thinking. He looked like a scared little mouse. Yohji shook his head. What woman would date a man that was scared of his own shadow? Maybe that's why Megumi Sasuki was gone... 

"Hello, Omotoyo-san." Asuka interrupted his thoughts. Damn her. Yohji decided he'd just sit there for the interview to get revenge. He knew she hated interviews. 

Omotoyo Gaki twitched slightly at being recognized. "H-hello, Murase-san. K-Kudou-san," he stuttered. Poor little mouse. Yohji almost grinned. Almost. He chided himself; this was serious. 

Asuka glanced at Yohji, arching an eyebrow as if to say, "Your turn." Yohji shook his head, smirking at her. Immediately narrowing her eyes, she continued. "We just have a few questions regarding Sasuki Megumi, Omotoyo-san," Asuka spoke quietly, gently, so she wouldn't scare the poor man. He was shaking. How'd he ever get a job? 

"H-hai?" 

"Hai. Sasuki-san was a student at the local university, wasn't she?" Asuka offered him at smile as she asked the question. Omotoyo nodded slightly, tapping his foot. 

"And she was dating you, was she not?" 

"S-she was," he flinched. Yohji studied him, frowning. Either this man was extremely scared... or he was extremely guilty. 

* * *

Yohji tilted his head back, letting it rest gently on the car seat. His gaze drifted to the clock. Nineteen hours, sharp. He was here, but his date wasn't. He should've known to come late. He chuckled, pulling his hair back into a ponytail, whilst letting two long tendrils hang down on either side of his face. The light-brown strands glinted slightly in what bare sunlight was left. His eyes shone like a cat's. 

He was just going to play it cool tonight. Omotoyo-san probably _never_ did that. Yohji snickered. He hadn't known which person to feel worse for during the interview: Asuka, Omotoyo Gaki, or himself. Three hours with the stuttering mouse of a man had nearly driven him nuts, and he didn't even talk to him. 

His date slipped into the passenger seat, apologizing immediately for taking so long. He laughed it off, waving his hand. "You look beautiful. I'd wait an eternity to gaze on your face this evening." 

It was corny. He knew it. But to his date, it was poetry. Fancy that he'd seen it in some book... 

"Yohji? Who is Asuka?" she asked him, staring at him intently. She was almost glaring, with a pout pulling at her painted lips. 

"Asuka? Why?" He blinked at her. Slowly, it registered. He'd fucked up and called her Asuka. _How_ had that happened? He was doing so well! "She's my partner on the force." 

"I didn't _know_ you had a _female_ partner," she stated, putting emphasis on the word 'female.' She glared at him, opened the car door, and climbed out. "Call me when you can get my name right." 

Yohji frowned, letting his head fall back against his seat. There went his date. And it was all Asuka's fault. Sort of. Well, not really, but he was still going to blame it on her. 

Slowly, he calmed down and shook his hair from his face. The tendrils fell right back in his eyes. Annoyed, he raised his sunglasses and slid them on. Asuka was going to make up for his date, whether she wanted to or not. His fingers gripped the car keys and he smirked. She hated his eyes. She'd hate more than that before the night was over. 

* * *

Asuka lay on her futon, reading and trying to get her mind off the case. There had to be some way. Asuka Murase was one of the best P.I.'s in the city; she wasn't going to give up a case so quickly. She tilted the book up with a sigh. She blew a few insistent strands of hair out of her eyes. Just then, a tapping came her door. She blinked for a moment, thinking she might have imagined it. Then it came again, along with an awful, lazy version of what she guessed to be her name. Yohji. Damn him. 

"C'mon, Asuka, open up!" If she ignored him, he might go away. Asuka sat perfectly still, not making a sound. She relatively had few lights on, anyway. Besides, he couldn't get in. She'd locked the-- 

Click. 

Asuka blinked, then instantly became annoyed. Lock picks, of course.. Yohji _had_ to know how to use them. Pheh. She laid her book down, walking barefoot into the main room. The floors were cold against her heels, just as they always were. "I hope you took your shoes off, Yohji. It's impolite to pick my lock _and_ walk in with your shoes." 

Yohji grinned at her, taking his sunglasses off. Asuka shivered involuntarily. Those eyes. They were staring right through her. She forced every muscle in her body to relax; she had to stay mentally aware of her expression at all times. "My shoes are off, Asuka. And you get to come with me tonight! My date skipped out on me. You lucky girl." 

She rolled her eyes. "Is this part of your 'policy', Kudou?" Asuka had heard about his policy many, many times. Never a girl under eighteen, never let a girl pay fully, and never call a girl by another name. He'd probably done the latter. 

"And if it is..?" he took on a sly tone. 

"If it is, I think you'll be clubbing alone tonight. I'm not even dressed for a date." That much was true. Asuka had slipped into some loose, linen pajama pants and an indigo tank top. Yohji shrugged and grinned. 

"We could hang out, then. C'mon, a little bonding time with your ol' partner, eh? What do you say?" Bonding time. Asuka turned around at that. 

"Yohji, you and I _work_ together. We aren't dating. We aren't really even friends," she added with a sigh. Yohji made her uncomfortable, and he was in her own house. He would leave, or else something was going to happened. She didn't know what, but _something_. 

"Asuka, c'mon! I'll even watch a chick-flick with you! I think it'll help our... friendship," he grinned. 

* * *

Yohji had somehow talked Asuka into letting him stay for the evening. Studying her face, he watched her sleeping form. A few strands of hair fell across her eyes, gently resting at last on the contour of her cheek. Her tank top hugged her slender form, her breasts heaving ever so slightly with every breath. Suddenly, it occurred to him that she looked cold. 

Slowly, he brought her towards his chest and wrapped his arms around her. Yohji felt protective somehow, though he didn't know why. It was very unlike him to genuinely want to hold someone without going further than that. He liked the girls he dated, and he could see every good point about them, but he didn't love them. Not really. He didn't love anyone, come to think of it. 

Asuka stirred in her sleep, instinctively trying to become closer to the source of warmth. Yohji watched the static on the screen for a moment, the artificial light flickering over them both. And to think, he was holding Asuka, of all people. Yohji resisted the urge to chuckle. He never thought he'd see the day. 

"..Yohji? What in _hell_ are you doing?" 

"Huh?" It took a moment for him to register that Asuka was awake. Instantly, as if on reflex, he let go and scooted back. "You looked cold. Sorry," he mumbled. He mumbled? That wasn't like him at all! Yohji nearly slapped himself. This was _Asuka_, the shrew woman. He was delivered a quick punch in the chest. 

"How long have I been asleep?" she asked, blinking to regain visual focus. 

"Since he kissed her for the first time," he quipped and grinned. 

"Stop that!" Asuka suddenly became indignant. And Yohji became very, very confused. 

"Stop what?" 

"Grinning like that! It makes me think you're going to do something else..." Yohji frowned slightly. 

"You don't trust me? Asuka, I'm not going to do anything without your permission," he stated matter-of-factly with a sigh. Yohji reached in his pocket, surprised to find a card of some kind. He pulled it out and examined it. Scrawled in red kanji was the word _Liott_. Asuka studied him for a moment. 

"Is that the card you found at Megumi's house?" 

"Yeah. Why?" Yohji eyed her. Asuka snatched it out of his hand. 

"This could be a clue! Liott? This looks like some kind of business card for a club. It's located on Ikedo..." Asuka read the card over once more, tracing the red kanji with her fingernails. "Yohji, you're brilliant." 

"You just now figured that out?" 

* * *

Asuka carefully got out of the cab. A slim, sparkling dress clung to her curves. The blue fabric gleamed in the neon light of the street, casting colors of all sorts on her pale cheeks. She'd tied her hair up in a bun, keeping it in place with ornate chopsticks. There was a party being held at Liott that night. Of course, it was exclusive and invitation only, but she figured she could get in if she pulled the right strings. 

The concrete clicked when she walked, slightly unsteadily, in her high heels. The skirt of her dress was slit up the sides, showing just enough of her hips. Tonight, Asuka was dressed to seduce as much as necessary. However, she hoped that it wouldn't be very necessary. Seducing was Yohji's area of expertise. And he was going to kill her if he found out she'd gone alone. 

The security guard stopped her at the door. "Invitation?" 

"Oh, I don't have one," Asuka grinned, bending over slightly. She lowered her voice. "I'm here with You-know-who. He'll be very upset if you don't let me in." Her lips formed a pout and she twirled a few strands around her finger. The security guard gulped, glanced both ways, then nodded. 

"All right. You're in." 

Asuka grinned and swiftly made her way inside. Soft, classic music was playing. It came from the orchestra that was located on its very own balcony. The chandelier's crystals sparkled bright, suspended by a golden chain. It was slightly dim in the room, but somehow it was refreshing to get out of the average, neon and artificial light. She scanned the room quickly. Almost every person was male, with the occasional girl clinging to his arm. Prostitutes, by the looks of them. 

Her eyes widened. Liott was a high-profile prostitution ring! Who knew what was going to happen tonight? 

* * *

"Moshi moshi? Kudou Yohji speaking." Honestly, who could be calling at this time of night? Yohji snickered to himself. Probably a desperate woman seeking him out. 

"Kudou! I've got some information for you on Sasuki Megumi." An urgent female voice drifted over the receiver, slightly deep. The voice was slightly rough and soft, which made him think of velvet. But he was too shocked to think about velvety voices at the moment. 

"What?! That case isn't open to the-Who is this?!" 

"Manx, but that isn't important! _Listen_ to me, Kudou! She was working at Liott. It's an exclusive club for men. They force women to perform certain..services..for men with little or no pay. If a girl screws up, they mutilate her. You've _got_ to drop this case before you or Murase-san get hurt!" 

"Liott? The card... Asuka!" Yohji hung up the phone without saying good-bye and grabbed his jacket. He had to find Asuka. He darted outside and towards his car in a matter of seconds. 

* * *

Asuka was surrounded by men. She was backed into a corner. Nowhere to go. Her chest heaved violently; her dress was ripped and torn. It barely covered her, and it didn't do it in a modest fashion. They were going to kill her. Her eyes were widened; she was like a frightened rabbit, thrown into a pack of wolves. 

She hated to admit it, but she needed Yohji. 

They closed in around her. She could feel their hands on her throat, pulling her hair. She was slipping as they beat her. Yohji.. Where was Yohji? A scream broke forth from her lips. The wolves tore into her flesh. She was a wounded animal, left alone to die. 

Yohji never came. 

* * *

Asuka. Where was she? Yohji was frantic. She wasn't in her house. She couldn't have gone out to investigate. She _couldn't _ have. He raced through the streets of Tokyo, ignoring the bite of the cold in the air. She was at Liott. He _knew_ it. 

Yohji raced through the crowds, towards the large building. _Have to get in. Have to get in. Asuka. Dead. Murder. Have to get in!_ His thoughts were jumbled, panicked. 

He was at the door, almost inside. The guards held him back. He tried to explain, but he stumbled over his words. They shoved him out and closed the doors. 

_Asuka. If there is a God, He'll let you be okay. But there isn't._

* * *

Yohji waited. Four eight goddamn hours, he waited. Those bastards. His partner had better be alive. He'd kill them all, slowly and painfully, if she wasn't. How could she have been so stupid? She knew better! He knew better than to just leave her alone after she discovered a clue. Yohji narrowed his eyes behind his sunglasses. A car passed him by. He paid it no mind and kept his eyes on the Liott skyscraper. 

In the not-so-far distance, he could hear the car stop with a screech. A thump and a high-pitched cry. The car sped off. It took a few seconds to register, but it finally sank in. He dropped from his perch on a fire-escape and ran towards where he'd heard the car just a few alleys down. 

His mind wasn't functioning. Yohji was operating on pure adrenaline as he dodged people and jumped over random obstacles such as trash cans. He was praying to whatever god was watching over him that Asuka was all right. He knew otherwise, however. 

Yohji nearly slid past the alley as he tried to stop. For what seemed like a short eternity, he was frozen with fear and shock. A body had been dumped. Asuka's body. His mind screamed at him in anguish, to do something. Not just stand there. Tiny drops of salted liquid sprang into his eyes as he kneeled slowly beside her. 

She must have been wearing a dress, but what was left was torn and stained with blood. It was barely even there and failed to cover the marred, once-white skin. She was so pale, so fucking _pale_. Yohji wrapped his jacket around her tenderly. They _killed_ her. Those _bastards_. 

Yohji had never felt such hatred, such grief. His partner, Asuka! A tear wound its way down his cheek and dropped onto small frame. She seemed, at that moment, a once-perfect and beautiful doll that had been broken. His chest heaved for the air he just wouldn't let in. His throat tightened. 

...Nothing. 

She breathed. Thank all the fucking gods in the world, her lungs drew in breath. Asuka was alive. 

* * *

The air was warm against her cheek as Asuka woke. After her conscious came into play, she nearly screamed and instantly tensed. Where was she? _It's not sterile or white, so it's not a hospital..._ she reasoned. The sunlight filtered in the windows, looking lazy and inviting. She heard birds in the distance outside, where there were..trees? It was late afternoon. 

In the background, she heard someone humming softly. A man's voice. It was gentle, and lazy just like everything else seemed at the moment. It made her want to lay down again and sleep, just a little longer. 

She found herself wearing a large cotton shirt. Her wounds were all cleaned and wrapped. Asuka glanced around with a sense of wonder. Who had found her? 

"Sleeping Ugly's up!" 

Yohji. It _had_ to be Yohji. Asuka mentally kicked herself.   



	3. Cigarette Ashes and Lies

**Title**: Middle of Yesterday  
**Chapter Three**: Cigarette Ashes and Lies  
**Rated**: R  
**Genre**: Romance/Mystery  
**Warnings**: Spoilers for Episodes 3, 17, and 21. If you are wary, turn back now. Also, prostitution, mild sexual situations, and language. 

**Description**: Before Weiss, Kudou Yohji was a detective. His partner was a pushy, rude woman named Asuka. A girl goes missing, and they're hired for the job. They're world is turned upside down as the case evolves from a missing person, to a prostituion ring, to murder. 

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Kudou Yohji, Asuka, Liott, Kusunoki Masataka, Nambara Tamaki, or Hirooki Hiroshi. That's mainly the whole cast. ^.^ Sasuki Megumi and Omotoyo Gaki are not actual characters within the series, and they belong to me. 

**Author's Notes**: While watching my subbed Weiss types, I realized it was "Kusunoki", -not- "Kusumoki". ^^; Tee, oops. That's been fixed now! Thanks to everyone who reviewed! I hope to get more (hint, hint!). If you find any mistakes in dialogue (I'm still not sure how the inclusion of "-san", "-sama", "-chan", etc. works), please tell me! I included Shwartz, for no very apparent reason other than to be mean. ^.^; Thankis!

"speech"  
_thoughts or emphasis  
[ mind speech ]_

------------------

"Sleeping Ugly's up!" Yohji grinned, leaning into his bedroom. He couldn't describe how he felt at that moment. He was overwhelmed, really, with relief. For two days, he'd waited on her to awaken. The notion that Asuka might have died terrified him. He saw them as a sort of dynamic duo, as cheesy as that sounds, and he figured they were invincible. Like teenagers. 

Asuka rolled her eyes at him, her blue-black hair rumpled and tossed in different directions. Yohji knew she was probably sore, but he'd tried his best to dress her wounds, and well, dress her. Her evening gown was pretty ruined, so he'd tossed it out. After bathing her and gently washing away the blood, he'd wrapped about a fourth of her body in bandages. Yohji had been surprisingly careful. He was almost proud, but he wasn't going to tell her that.

"Yohji?" 

"Yep?" He approached bed and plopped down beside her. Yohji proceeded to stretch out, looking every bit like a cat. 

"I'm sorry." Asuka sighed. "I just got so caught up in trying to solve this case. It..it just hits you right here, you know?" She motioned to center of her chest. Yohji smiled at her for a moment, his sunglasses gone for once. A real smile, not a grin or a smirk. It reached his eyes.

"Asuka, it's all right," he spoke gently, brushing her hair out of her face. He turned serious for a moment, his facade gone. Yohji frowned, his bottom lip twitching slightly before he spoke again. "Don't ever go there alone again. Just get some rest. I can take this case."

"Yohji. Has it occurred to you that I've been asleep for nearly two days? I don't want anymore sleep. I want a shower. And food," Asuka replied quickly. She was nearly scolding him, but she softened quickly, adding, "Thank you. For taking care of me. You didn't have to. But I'm not letting you go on your own. I'm going back, Yohji."

"Asuka, please." Yohji took a loose hold on her arms, staring her down. She shrank back into his bed slightly. He didn't need to hold her there with his hands; his eyes were doing the job just fine. "Asuka," he began again, his voice void of its usual cocky bastardness. "Do you know what they do to women? It's too dangerous! I don't want you getting hurt."

"Yohji..." She began, scared stiff. 

"Listen to me! Don't go back on your own! Not unless I'm with you. You might get hurt."

"It's too late, Yohji!" Asuka straightened slightly, beginning to meet his gaze with just as much intensity. "We both knew this wasn't an ordinary case when we began investigating! Don't you see? It's too late to turn back now just because one of us might get hurt! And I'm not letting you do this one alone. I'm your partner, Kudou, not your girlfriend."

He studied her eyes for a moment, his grip on her loosening. Yohji raised his hand, caressing Asuka's cheek gently. Her skin was still so pale. Pale like it had been when he found her. Pale like it had been when he thought she was dead.

"Wh-what..are you doing? Yohji.." Asuka's eyes widened. She was petrified. He was so close. So close. And she couldn't move. 

"Asuka, don't think. Just feel." She closed her eyes, nodding and swallowing the lump in her throat. Yohji gently brushed her hair away from her face. He pressed his lips to hers, stroking her cheek with his thumb. His skin was slightly rough, not quite clean shaven. A man's skin, Asuka mused. She responded to him slowly, resting her hands on his shoulders. He slid his free arm around her waist, nimble fingers playing over the cloth of his shirt on her body. Just as she found herself relaxing and melding against him, Asuka shivered, quickly pushing him away.

"Yohji, stop. I told you, I'm not your girlfriend. I'm your partner," she tried to state firmly. Somehow, her voice lacked its normal conviction. She looked away from him and slowly eased her way out of his bed. "I think... I'm going to take a shower."

"I'll show you where it's at," he replied, his voice soft with... rejection? Disappointment she expected, but not rejection. Could it have been possible that Yohji could feel something more for a woman than lust?

------------------

The hot water collided against Asuka's bare skin. Steam rose from within the shower, settling in a fog on the single mirror. The pelting, liquid heat somehow seemed to help her think. Water ran over her skin in rivelets, washing into and out of the scratches and deeper wounds. The heat soothed her bruises and aches. It was almost as if someone was caressing her, healing her. Like Yohji had tried to do.

Yohji. She frowned, closing her eyes and working shampoo into her hair. He'd kissed her. At that instant, her heart had swelled. But her mind, her undying logic, took a vise grip on her heart and squuezed it back to its normal size. She was just another girl to him. Another pretty face to touch, to sweet-talk. To pretend to love. A sigh escaped her lips, the air from within becoming one with the steam. Asuka rinsed out her hair. She'd have to make amends with Yohji. They were partners and nothing more, but they had to keep what relationship there was intact.

Asuka shut the water off, nevermind the excess drops. She took Yohji's bathrobe off its rack and slipped it on. She was greeted with the faint smell of cigarettes, the sweet scent of his shampoo, and something undeniably _Yohji_. She closed her eyes, welcoming the faint traces of various aromas. She realized that he hadn't been smoking before he kissed her. That was a relief. 

The sound of a pan sizzling reached her ears as she descended down the wooden stairs in the robe. Gratefully, Asuka took in the somewhat spicy smell of food cooking. She smiled and ran a hand through her wet hair. 

"It's nice out tonight," Yohji looked up at her, smirking slightly. Asuka looked radiant in the light, every droplet of water giving off a gleam, which in turn caused to her to sparkle. He shook his head slightly, somewhat surprised that he'd just thought Asuka was beautiful. 

"Do you like stars, Yohji? I've never really bothered to look at them," she asked, nonchalantly. Hopefully she hadn't notice him shake his head. He kissed her, she'd pushed him away. If that wasn't a hint to back off and find someone else, he didn't know what was. Usually it took only moments for Kudou Yohji to recover from such blatant rejection, but somehow... He wanted Asuka, and she didn't want him. 

"Not really. What's the point in loving something that's so far out of reach?"

"You tell me," Asuka smile and shrugged. "What's for dinner?"

"Yakisoba."

"Sounds good," Asuka grinned and sat down. "I'm starved."

"We'll eat when you get dressed," Yohji smirked. "I'll loan you a long shirt or something."

"Thanks, Yohji. For everything."

"It's my job to help a damsel in distress," he quipped with a wink. Asuka rolled her eyes, amused.

------------------

Yohji stood outside, relishing the feel of the warm summer air. Insects sang sweetly, and frogs cried out for the rain. He enjoyed living outside of the city. Everything was tangible here. Everything was _real_.

A cool breeze tugged at his hair, his shirt abandoned on one of the chairs inside. He lit up a cigarette, slowly taking a drag and watching the smoke dance with the breeze. 

"Yohji?" Asuka's voice drifted out onto the deck. He could hear her footsteps approach, slowly and almost cautiously. He nodded in response, glancing over his shoulder. She was there, clad in one of his long shirts and a pair of boxers. Yohji smiled, bemused. 

"I'm here." He lifted the cigarette to his lips, disliking the taste but still addicted nonetheless. Asuka drifted up beside him and took the cigarette from him. "Hey!"

She grinned mischeviously, then took a drag. Yohji was decidedly stunned. "I used to smoke," she offered, her shoulder length hair pulled into a ponytail. He nodded, his gaze falling elsewhere.

"What are you looking at?"

"What's the point in loving something that's so far out of reach?" Yohji asked for the second time that evening, his eyes glinting in the moonlight. Asuka could barely detect the pain, buried underneath layers of cigarette ashes and lies. 

"You tell me, Yohji. As far as I can tell, what's the point in loving at all?" He looked at her, slightly alarmed and almost hurt. He then plucked the cigarette from between her lips.

"No need for both of us to be addicted." 

------------------

A large man stood near the back of a very large office. He opened the curtains, letting the sun filter through the large windows. Behind him stood a sturdy, wooden desk--cherry, most likely--and a plush, leather chair. On this desk sat a computer and various files. All along the walls hung paintings and rare obviously expensive artifacts. He turned, a slightly bushy eyebrow raising as a young woman entered the office.

"Kusunoki-sama?" she asked quietly, bowing her head. "All of the files containing Sasuki Megumi's name have been destroyed. Hirooki-san has sent our men across the city in search of the unnamed young woman at the event last week. He believes she may be a journalist, or a police officer from another district."

"Is that all?" He asked gruffly, straightening his tie. Her head was still down, and he admired her curves appreciatively. There were advantages to this business.

"Hai, Kusunoki-sama."

"Has the young woman been identified?"

"Hirooki-san thinks she may be a private investigator. He believes her name is Murase Asuka, sir."

"Very well. If they find her, she must be... disposed of."

The young woman nodded timidly and backed out of his office. Kusunoki Masataka frowned. The last thing he needed, as president of Liott, was outsiders snooping around. He would have to discuss this with Reiji. 

------------------

Asuka stared at herself in the mirror, frowning. The less severe bruises had faded away in the past days, and she looked relatively like herself, but the circles under her eyes suggested otherwise. Her shoulder length hair fell around her face, making her look even more tired and...broken, somehow. Used. _[Raped]_, a voice whispered maliciously in her head. 

Her eyes widened suddenly. It hadn't occurred to her earlier that she might have been raped at Liott. But the thought had seized her, terrified her. Her hands shaking, she opened the drawers in Yohji's bathroom. Asuka drew out a pair of scissors, her eyes narrowed slightly. As long as she looked like...this, she was in danger. Somehow, she had to change. 

Asuka raised the scissors to her face. Her hands shook as she stared at them, tears slowly filling her eyes. 

Clumps of hair fell into the sink. First, they were about an inch long. But she began to cut more furiously, the strands becoming two, three, then four inches. Soon, the sink was full of what had been her fairly long, beautiful hair. She looked in the mirror, her hair now short and pixie-like, save her bangs. She sheared those as well.

She walked out of the bathroom feeling dazed. Asuka ran into Yohji's back, face-first into his shoulder. He turned around quickly, startled. Then, his eyes widened at the sight of her. "Asuka! What the..? Your hair!"

Asuka forced a smile. "Well, do you like it?" Yohji merely stared at her, flabbergasted. "Yohji, I'd like to go home today. Get some of _my_ clothes. That'd.. It'd be nice." She stumbled over her words and her smile faltered. 

"Why did you cut your hair, Asuka?" He asked, his voice gentle once the shock had passed. She frowned at him.

"It's none of your business, Yohji." He narrowed his eyes slightly. 

"Tell me," he replied sternly. It was an order. Asuka glared and blew up.

"Why does it matter to you, Yohji?! It's just my hair! It's not like you care about me or what I do, anyway! I'm just another girl to you! I don't mean a thing!" she yelled, then slowly sank to her knees on the floor. "I'm not worth anything! Nothing at all!" She repeated 'nothing at all' while sobs wracked her body. Yohji kneeled beside her, awkwardly wrapping his arms around her. He possibly came to the most no-brained conclusion he'd ever made. Something had happened. 

"Asuka, what are you saying? You're not worthless. We both know that," Yohji whispered, cradling her against his chest. 

_[It's all his fault, you know. He had the card...]_ The voice whispered again. It's his fault this happened to you. She pushed him away, her anger returning.

"Don't touch me! It was filthy men, filthy men like _you_, Yohji, who did this to me! Don't you ever touch me again!" Alarmed, Yohji backed away. The timebomb had finally gone off.

Had either of them looked outside, they might have seen a man with flaming red hair and a malevolent grin spread cross his face. But they hadn't, and so he left. 

_[What are you doing, Shuldich?] _an irritated voice echoed in the red-haired man's mind.

_[Just some work for Takatori, Bradley. He said Kusunoki Masataka was after Murase Asuka. She won't be a bother for long.]_ Schuldich sneered. If he was lucky, the self-doubt and pity he'd placed in her mind would drive her to suicide. But she was a strong woman. If her own mind didn't get her, someone from Liott would. 

_[Hurry back, you idiot]_

------------------

The drive to Asuka's house hadn't been a pleasant one. Yohji drove, and Asuka seemed like she was trying to get as close to the door as possible without falling out. The tension, needless to say, was high. He watched her out of the corner of his eye. Asuka couldn't have meant what she said. He'd never seen her that upset before. She was prone to outbursts and being loud, sure, but she never broke down like she had. 

He watched her out of the corner of his eye, silently hoping against hope this would come to pass. She was only going through a phase, he told himself. _She'll be okay again in a few days_, he assured himself while his palms grew sweaty on the steering wheel. _She will. She's Asuka. She's my partner._

"You missed the turn," Asuka spoke softly, her hands folded in her lap. Yohji frowned and nodded, deciding to take the long way around. He was going to help her for reasons not even his libido understood.

"Asuka, what happened to you? Or what do you think happened?" Yohji asked, trying his damnedest not to look at her and to keep his eyes on the road. It didn't help that the road was less interesting. 

"They beat me. Ripped my dress. Yohji, Liott is a prostitution ring! I think... I think I was raped," Asuka spoke hesitantly, her tone full of remorse. Yohji's eyes widened and as quickly as he could, he found a suitable spot to pull over in. 

"Asuka, I swear, if they did anything to you, I'll kill them," he stated solemnly, his eyes dull for a moment. They were almost animalistic, cold and unreadable. "But before I commit murder on your behalf," Yohji half-heartedly joked, "why don't we visit a physician?"

------------------

"Can't we just kill them?" a low voice cut through the darkness of the room, hinting impatience. It was almost like a child whining for its favorite toy.

"Patience, Farfarello. The human mind is extremely amusing to manipulate. It's almost... sweet," a nasal voice responded, laughter on the edge of the tone. "How can a telepath such as myself have fun if I'm not allowed to play with my victims?"

"Quiet, both of you. Schuldich, if any word on Liott escapes from Murase's pretty lips, I'll deem it your fault."


End file.
